Movable machines such as haul trucks, dozers, motor graders, excavators, wheel loaders, and other types of equipment are used to perform a variety of tasks. For example, these machines may be used to move material and/or alter work surfaces at a work site. The machines may perform operations such as digging, loosening, carrying, etc., different materials at the work site.
Machines that are not being used as part of a material moving operation are not generating revenue. As a result, it is typically desirable to maximize the use of machines at a work site by minimizing the number of machines that may be sitting idle at a work site. Attempts to minimize the number of idle machines at a work site may sometime result in too few machines being available when needed which may create challenges in meeting desired production goals. For example, the number of machines located at a work site may be insufficient to meet the production goals, particularly in view of changing working condition at the work site.
Scheduling or allocating machines at a work site may be particularly challenging. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014/0277905 discloses a method for determining a performance metric corresponding to specific machine configurations and assigning a machine configuration based upon the performance metrics.
The foregoing background discussion is intended solely to aid the reader. It is not intended to limit the innovations described herein, nor to limit or expand the prior art discussed. Thus, the foregoing discussion should not be taken to indicate that any particular element of a prior system is unsuitable for use with the innovations described herein, nor is it intended to indicate that any element is essential in implementing the innovations described herein. The implementations and application of the innovations described herein are defined by the appended claims.